Who: Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy When: During the Dream Plot Where: Effie's bed What: Dream Plot, True Love's Kiss Rating/Warnings: Speak of the Games, Nightmares Status: Complete!
Well, Effie just plain didn’t wake up in the morning. She was stuck in a realm of nightmares. And her nightmare realm? Well, it looked an awful lot like the games. Only, the only other tributes she could see were the ones from District Twelve. All the ones she’d watched die in the arena over the last few years, boys and girls, and the worst part? Katniss. Katniss and Peeta. They were both there, both coming after her.
It was as if Effie was in the games. She felt the time pass like normal, felt as if this was real. But she knew it couldn’t be. She knew this must be a Dream. Not the kind that was like memory, because this one didn’t make sense the way the others did.
She just kept running, hiding, fighting, feeling the spray of blood on her skin, the impact when punches, kicks, and even knives hit her during combat. It was horrible. She was struggling to survive.
Haymitch was worried. He hadn’t heard from Effie all day Thursday and when she missed their pre-arranged lunch date on Friday he began to think something had happened. He had finally had enough of waiting for a call or message in response and throwing caution to the wind went over to her house.
The old man wasn’t there, not that Haymitch cared at that point, but he knew Effie would be pleased. As long as she was okay. Entering her bedroom it didn’t take long for him to find her on the bed, dreaming a disturbing dream by the way she was thrashing around, he moved quickly to sit next to her and stroked his hand over her hair whispering to her that everything would be okay.
Effie couldn’t hear his gentle whispers, she didn’t know that he was petting her hair. It was kind of him to comfort her, even though she couldn’t hear or feel it. She was hiding under some rocks, in a cave, breathing hard and clutching a rock to her chest. There was rain and mist, and her clothes were torn. Worst of all, her wig had started to fall apart, and there was orange hair everywhere. A bright beacon to all the other tributes where she was.
“She’s over here!” Peeta’s voice came through the rocks, and he appeared in the mouth of the cave. With Katniss, and a couple other tributes from District Twelve--all looking just as they did when they died in the years previous. Burned, stabbed, bloody, grey-faced and dripping with water…
Effie started to scream and ran out of the cave, but they grabbed her. She swung the rock around, making contact with one of them, but it didn’t stop. Hands grabbing, fingernails tearing at her clothes and into her skin.
Haymitch had hoped his touch would get through to her and maybe calm her but instead she thrashed more and began clawing at her own skin. Taking hold of her arms he looked at her in concern, how the hell was he going to wake her? Then he remembered the talk on the net. Like a fairy tale and in fairy tales you woke those under a spell up with a kiss right? Well it may sound like nonsense right now Haymitch was desperate so taking hold of her head he lowered his lips to hers. Not expecting anything to happen.
It was like the movies. Or the tv shows. Or the fairy tales. The moment they kissed--the moment his lips parted from hers--Effie’s eyes opened. She gasped gently, cluing in to the idea that he’d just saved her from her nightmares. “Haymitch?” She whispered, her eyes focusing on his.
As soon as Effie opened her eyes Haymitch breathed a sigh of relief, laying his hand on her cheek gently, “Effie, sweetheart” he said bending to kiss her once more, “Are you okay?” he asked.
She wasn’t really okay, but she was better. “Confused.” She said after the kiss. Her whole body felt sore. There were fingernail scratches down her arms. “...I was having really horrible nightmares. I was in the Games.”
“Oh baby” Haymitch said, moving to gather her gently into his arms, “It’s alright. You’re safe now, they were just nightmares love” He stroked her back soothingly, “I promise I won’t let anything hurt you”
Effie was breathing hard, and felt like she might burst into tears. But she wrapped her arms around him and started to calm down. His arms were strong, his hands warm and comforting. “...I dreamed… and dreamed, and I knew it wasn’t real, I knew I was dreaming, but it was terrifying anyway, I felt… I felt like I was fighting for my life.”
“I’m so sorry” Haymitch said, holding her close and never wanting to let her go. He wished he could protect her from the nightmares, he’d live them all for her if he could to spare her from the pain of them. He’d dreamed about the games and they weren’t dreams he’d wish on anybody.
Effie closed her eyes as she clung to him. She was quiet for a long time, calming her nerves and coming back to reality. "I have to leave him." She finally said. "As soon as possible."
Haymitch was content to hold her, simply glad to have her safe in his arms. “You know I’ll help you sweetheart” he said, “Whatever we need to do”
“I need a lawyer.” Effie said, now sounding more determined. It was much easier to think about this than the Games in her Dreams. “A divorce one. And we’ll need to figure out what to do about this Ganon business.”
Haymitch nodded, “Then we’ll get you the best one there is” he said immediately, completely on board with that idea. Getting her away from the old man was the perfect plan. “And we can speak to some people about the debt too”
“I don’t know how much good it’s going to do.” Effie said, burying her face in his neck. She was trying to block out the memories of the tributes coming after her with sticks, knives and maces. “...but we have to start somewhere.”
"Don't worry, we'll work it out together" he promised her, holding her close and stroking her hair. "You will never be alone in this"
Effie nodded again, cuddling close against him. She started to relax a bit, though the dream was lingering. She knew she was safe, here and now. Tucked into her lover’s arms. Her eyes fell closed. “I don’t know what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you.”
“Pretty much what I think everyday about you love” Haymitch told her, because really he wasn’t all that much but somehow this wonderful woman decided he was worth being with and he was very grateful for that.